13 May 2014

Press release

Christians called to unite in prayer for missing girls

Churches up and down the country are being urged to pray as video footage suggests that many of the 200 girls abducted in northern Nigeria have been forcibly converted to Islam.

As military forces from other countries, including the US Marines, lend their help in the search for the missing girls, the Evangelical Alliance and The National Day of Prayer and Worship have joined forces to encourage Christians across the country to take up their most powerful weapon of prayer in the fight against Boko Haram.

Steve Clifford, general director of the Evangelical Alliance, said:"As evangelical Christians we believe that all people everywhere are created equal and in the image of a loving God. As the Evangelical Alliance, we are also passionate about the importance of civil liberty, the right of every human being to an education and the freedom of every person to choose what they believe. But this is not just about freedoms.

"At the centre of this is a heartbreaking story of precious girls who have been snatched from the schools in which they were seeking an education. We might sign all the petitions and use all the hashtags we want, but as Christians our first response must be to pray to a God who is able to do all things – even in the midst of hopelessness and despair."

Yesterday, Islamist militants Boko Haram released a video showing around 130 of the girls – who were kidnapped on 14 April and are being held while the terrorist group demands the release of imprisoned militants in exchange.

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau is seen saying in the video: "These girls, these girls you occupy yourselves with … we have indeed liberated them. These girls have become Muslims."

Convener of The National Day of Prayer and Worship Dr Jonathan Oloyede, who converted to Christianity from Islam, urged Christians everywhere to pray for the girls, their families and Nigeria. "This is a heartbreaking situation and as a persecuted Christian convert from Islam, I urge you to use this situation to pray for all those who are persecuted and oppressed based on religion.

"The situation is constantly changing and I am grateful to the media for keeping the story in the news. This should enable the Church to keep up-to-date with the events as they unfold as a subject for real and fervent prayer. I join with national and church leaders to condemn this brutal violation of freedom and justice."

He added: "No one should be forced into any religion and it is my prayer and hope that every one of these schoolgirls will be found safe and alive. We pray for displaced communities within Borno state, Maiduguri and surrounding towns. We pray for comfort to all family members in anguish, shock and distress over the fate of their girls. We pray for the Nigerian government and all supporting foreign countries to deploy all necessary resources to find these young people. Pray, pray, and pray again because with God nothing is impossible."

Yemi Adedeji, director of the Evangelical Alliance's One People Commission – made up of key denominational leaders from across ethnic minorities – said: "It has been heartening to see how people from all backgrounds and ethnicities across the world have rallied together, demanding the safe return of 'our girls'. As the Church in this nation, we firmly believe that it is by working together and praying together that we can see what might seem impossible become a reality."

God of grace and comfort, we pray for your mercy.We pray for the girls brutally kidnapped in Nigeria.We ask that you might be with them.In their times of deepest darkness, be a bright beacon of hope.We pray for your protection of them and ask that they may be freed quickly.Lord, guide those searching for them.Grant wisdom and discernment and perseverance.We pray for the parents, family and friends of the girls.Lord, strengthen them in their time of sorrow and fear and give them hope and the consolation of your presence.Lord, we pray for all victims of violence: those who feel abandoned and forgotten; the nameless abused.May they know that you love them and that others care.In Jesus' nameAmen.

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Notes to Editors

The Evangelical Alliance We are the largest and oldest body representing the UK’s two million evangelical Christians. For more than 165 years, we have been bringing Christians together and helping them listen to, and be heard by, the government, media and society. We’re here to connect people for a shared mission, whether it’s celebrating the Bible, making a difference in our communities or lobbying the government for a better society. From Skye to Southampton, from Coleraine to Cardiff, we work across 79 denominations, 3,500 churches, 750 organisations and thousands of individual members. And we're not just uniting Christians within the UK – we are a founding member of the World Evangelical Alliance, a global network of more than 600 million evangelical Christians. Visit www.eauk.org for more information.